Do corporate wellness programs work?

1:52 PM,
Sep. 12, 2013

Written by

Kevin Pho

More patients are coming to my primary care clinic with forms from their employer, asking me to measure their blood pressure, or check their sugar and cholesterol levels. Companies requesting medical data drive employee wellness programs, a booming $6 billion business, with approximately half of large employers offering such plans.

Coaching and financial incentives are often offered to help employees meet certain health metrics, such as losing weight, lowering cholesterol or quitting smoking. The results of these tests are often tied to the cost of health insurance, with less ...